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The 2012 London Bird Report is now out - to get a copy please click here. Tuesday 7th April 2015 *Alexandra Park: Red Kite flew high E over E side of park and Birdwatch office towards Wood Green at 11.05 am plus 3 Common Buzzards drifting high east at 12.10-12.15 (David Callahan, Ian Lycett, Dominic Mitchell, Josh Jones), also Pochard x Ferruginous Duck hybrid still (Boating Lake), 3 Northern Shoveler (Wood Green Reservoir), 2 Meadow Pipits (in SW perimeter ditch), 6 singing male Chiffchaffs (N & E sides) and 2 singing male Blackcaps (Dominic Mitchell). Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail on reservoir, 18.15 (Brian Milligan) *Beddington SF: 20 Buzzard, 4 Red Kite, 4 Kestrel, Green Sandpiper, Snipe, 5 Swallow, 7 Sand Martin, Great Crested Grebe (BFBG via Twitter) *Bermondsey: Meadow Pipit 1 over Riley Rd 12.00 (Richard Green) *Bow Creek: 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Jay, 26 Teal (John Archer). *Brent Reservoir: Osprey flew north 0845 (Steve Leeke); 2 Shelduck, 7 Egyptian Goose, Common Buzzard circled SW 1300, 22 Meadow Pipits north, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps singing (Andrew Verrall); Little Ringed Plover 4pm (Andrew Self) *Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpeicker, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam) *Bury Lake nr Rickmansworth, Cuckoo, 7am (Anna Marett - Herts website) *Canonhill Common. 1 Yellow Legged/ Caspian Gull. Inside fenced school playing fields. (James Dee) *Canons Farm: 8 Common Buzzard, 2-3 Red Kite, 6 Sparrowhawk, 3 Swallow, 8 Chiffchaff, 200 Linnet, 2 Redpoll, 5 Yellowhammer (Steve Gale, David Campbell) *Cornmill Gardens: 2 Kingfisher in either territorial dispute or courtship display (John Archer) *Cornmill Meadows and Breach Barns: 7 Teal, 4 Red-legged Partridge, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2-3 Red Kite, 10+ Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 5-6 Lapwing, Little Owl, Kingfisher, 4+ Green Woodpecker, 2 singing Skylark, 2 Swallow, 2 Coal Tit, Treecreeper, singing Blackcap, 10+ singing Chiffchaff, Redwing, 4 Grey Wagtail, 50+ Meadow Pipit (flying north in small groups), 2 Yellowhammer, 8+ Linnet, 2 Bullfinch (Simon Papps) *East India Dock Basin: 2 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Great Crested Grebe on Thames - rare here, 2+ Stock Dove, 3 Shelduck, 20 Tufted Duck, 35 Teal (John Archer). *Greenwich Peninsula: Swallow 5 going east over Ecology Park 16:30 (Richard Green) *Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: 4 Common Buzzard through, late morning/early afternoon, 2-3 Sparrowhawk, 3-4 singing Blackcap, 4 singing Chiffchaff, 2 Coal Tit, Treecreeper, singing Nuthatch, 3 Gadwall, Pochard, 2 Green Woodpecker, a trickle of Meadow Pipits through, pr Egyptian Geese with 3 chicks, 2 Great crested Grebe (Stuart Fisher) *London Wetland Centre: Jack Snipe on grazing marsh, 6 Redshank, a few Common Snipe, 5 Wigeon, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel over, Siberian Chiffchaff reported from near WWT hide (Martin Honey) *Marion Wilson Park: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker '''heard drumming and calling, Swallow west (Conrad Ellam) *Rainham Marsh RSPB Spoonbill 1 immature Garganey 2 (Ray Tuck) *Rammey Marsh, Enfield Lock: '''Jack Snipe flushed at 0925 during bird survey. Also 7 Linnet (Martin Shepherd) * Roding Valley Park, Woodford Bridge: 2 Little Egrets, Chiffchaff, 2 Jays (Alan Hobson). *Royal Victoria Gardens, Silvertown: Firecrest in conifers at eastern end of park (Conrad Ellam) *Wanstead Flats: possible Red Kite north at 08:07 (DH) possibly KM's bird at Woodford, 20 Meadow Pipit, 7 Skylark, 2 Linnet, Reed Bunting, Redwing, 3 Sparrowhawk, 3 Kestrel, 17 Shoveler, 7 Little Grebe, 2 Swallow, 5 singing Chiffchaff (Dan Hennessy/J Lethbridge/N Croft/B Vaughan/M Johnson) *Woldingham: 2 Raven, 3 Red Kite, 11 buzzard, 1 Swallow, 18 Sand Martin and 6 Lapwing (J.Barnes) *Woodford Green: Peregrine, Red Kite, Mipit, Grey Wag, 6 Redwing, Mistle Thrush and Sprawk this am. (Ken Murray) NB....In response to the 8:07 Wanstead Flats Red Kite, the Woodford Green bird was photographed at 8.23 am. heading North along the roads "house-line". Monday 6th April 2015 *Allotment Ackroyd Drive E3: Brimstone (Harry Harrison) *Balham: Grey Wagtail calling from Sainsbury's sign on Balham High Street (Nick Rutter) *Beddington: 4 Black-tailed Godwit '''over, 1 male Wigeon over, 10 Common Buzzard, 3 Red Kite (together- flew north), 5 Swallow, 190 Meadow Pipit (moving northwest), 1 Barnacle Goose (BFBG) *Brent Reservoir: '''Red Kite '''over 10.45, Common Buzzard at 12.50, '''Black-tailed Godwit '''on mud/rafts, 178 Meadow Pipit north, 2 Green Sandpiper, 5 Swallow, 4 Sand Martin & Linnet; also 2 Brimstone, 5 Small Tortoiseshell, Green-veined White & 15 Peacock (Brent Birders) *Brookmill Park: Egyptian Goose (patch tick) Mute Swan, Kingfisher, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam) *Crossness: '''Hobby, 2 Avocet mid-morning then flew E @ 14.10, 2 Marsh Harrier, 4 Common Buzzard north, 1 Swallow north, 8 Sand Martin north, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, 20+ Redshank, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Curlew, 1 Lapwing, 5 Oystercatcher, 7 Wigeon, 1 Jackdaw south (John Archer) *Eltham SE9: Red Kite over heading west 15:30 , Peregrine over heading North 16:05. (Richard Jones) *Gallions Reach: Puffin drifting upriver @11.20 towards Woolwich. Common RedStart male, 2 Swallow, 3 Chiffchaff. (Gary A James & Paul Davis). 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Curlew (KJ McManus) *Gospel Oak: Singing Willow Warbler in birches just S of Oak Village 0630 ( Pete Mantle) *Gunpowder Park: singing Willow warblers, 3 Kestrels, Skylarks (Harry Harrison) *Hampstead Heath: 2 Red Kite, first drifted S from 11:30, second also S from 12:50, 4 Common Buzzard (N at noon, W from 13:15 and W at 15:20 when also Peregrine soaring above Cohen's Field and one W at 16:20) 5 Linnet NW, Meadow Pipit through all day, at least 200 NW, 4 Swallow NW, Peacock, Brimstone & Comma (Frank Nugent) Plus Redpoll N (0700) * Hanwell W7 River Brent/Grand Union Canal: Swallow through N, Red Kite, 2 Common Buzzard (Rob Mills) *Isleworth: 1 female Siskin preening for 15mins in private garden, a good record for area (Mick Kerr). *Little Britain Iver/Cowley:1pr Mandarins, Red Kite over, 2 Chiffchaffs, Dunnock calling, 6 Greylags, Wren, (Sue Giddens) *London Wetland Centre: Siberian Chiffchaff '''singing and calling near Dulverton Hide (A.Salmon, S.Fogg, R.Kaye) Mandarin, Red Kite, 3 Buzzard, 74 Meadow Pipit N/NW, Wheatear, 5 Linnet N/NW (R.Kaye) Wheatear on roof of Peacock hide (S. Fogg) 1 '''Jack Snipe and 2 Little Ringed Plover on wader scrape, 5 Wigeon, 4 Snipe and 1f Pintail on grazing marsh, 4 Sand Martin, also Peregrine, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel over (Martin Honey) *Mill Hill NW7: Red Kite, Buzzard, 2 Sparrowhawk, 3 Ring-necked Parakeet. (Steve Blake) *North Cheam: Red Kite high West 16:00, 3 Meadow Pipits North 15:30. *Pinner Park Farm: 2 Wheatear (first-summer male & a female), Little Grebe, Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Little Owl, 3 Snipe, Fieldfare, 23 Meadow Pipit (grounded), Linnet over east, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, Nuthatch, 6 Stock Dove, Jay & 49 Jackdaw (Jon Ridge). *Rainham Marsh RSPB: 3 Common Tern, 2 Avocet in Aveley Bay 8:30. 2 Garganey, 1 Ruff and a Liitle Ringed Plover on reserve 9:30am (Richard Jones). Peregrine, Greenshank, Linnet, Cetti's Warbler and Pintail (Shailesh Patel, Bob Husband and RSPB NW London Local Group Members) *Richmond Park 2 Wheatear (m & f) riding ring, the Bog, 1 m Linnet (Hugh Bradshaw) p.m. skywatch: 4 Peregrine - including 2 adults NE & imm female N, 2 Red Kite, 9+ Buzzard - passage between N & E, 60 Meadow Pipit N in an hour & 14 grounded, 4 Swallow N, 3 Linnet N (J.Wilczur) Wheatear male by Pen Ponds early a.m. (S.Read per JW) *Ruislip Lido/woods: 8 Great-crested Grebe, pr Shoveler, 6 Buzzard (2 Poors Field, 1 in LNR, pr Copse Wood, pr Park Wood, one over Mad Bess Wood), Red Kite over LNR, 3 Sparrowhawk (pr displaying), Kestrel, 3 pr Stock Dove, 3 Swallow N, 7 Singing Chiffchaff, singing Blackcap, 8 m Brimstone, 8 Peacock, 4 Small Tortoiseshell, 3 Comma, Small White (Neil Anderson/K. Bull) *Shadwell Basin: two kingfishers seen hunting over the water. Not known if nesting but possible locations on banks and dock wall. *Staines Moor: 2 Red Kite, 4+ Buzzard, 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 2 Lapwing, 1 Redshank, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Water Pipit, 18 Meadow Pipit, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 1 House Martin and 5 Peacock Butterfly (Samuel Perfect) *Staines Reservoir: 5 Avocet, Little Gull still at 13.00 plus 4 Black-necked Grebe, Great Northern Diver and Red Kite (Jim Sweetland) also 3 Redshank, 2 Lapwing, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Swallow, 1 Brimstone, 4+ Small Tortoiseshell and 1 Peacock Butterfly (1 Dunlin reported early morning too) (Samuel Perfect) *Sutcliffe Park: Common Snipe, 2prs Reed Bunting, Stock Dove, 3prs Long-tailed Tit, Grey Heron, Little Grebe, 2 Peacock Butterfly (P Kite) *Tooting Common: Blackcap, several Chiffchaffs, pair Sparrowhawk, female with missing primary over Cafe Field and Tooting Graveney Woods, Green Woodpecker, Great-spotted Woodpeckers, also Peacock, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma and Brimstone (Alan Wilkinson) *Totteridge Valley (Folly Farm area): 2 male Wheatear, Swallow (first local breeder returned), Rook, Red-legged Partridge, 2 Little Owl, 5 Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk (Ian Ellis) *Trent Park: 11 singing Chiffchaff, 3 Common Buzzard, Swallow, 3 Mandarin, 15 Linnet, 3 Nuthatch, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell. ( Pete Lowman). *Walthamstow Marshes: Common Buzzard, Peregrine, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel. boardwalk- Cetti's Warbler in bush next to railway line. Sand Martin on River Lea/Leyton Marsh nesting area (JW Davies) *Walthamstow Reservoirs (Lockwood): pr Scaup still, 4 Teal, pr Egyptian Geese, 4 Shelduck, Peregrine (Banbury), m Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 3 Wheatear (2m + f), 15 Meadow Pipit, 4 Linnet, 2 Green Woodpecker, several singing Chiffchaffs (Lol Bodini). *Wanstead Flats: 200 +Meadow Pipit through north, 10 + Skylark, 4 Common Buzzard, Peregrine Falcon, 3 Kestrel, 4 + Sparrowhawk, 20 + Linnet north, Rook, 3 Swallow, 15 Shoveler, 6 Stock Dove, 5 singing Chiffchaff, Blackcap (Wanstead Birders) *Wanstead Park: 20 Meadow Pipit north, 5 Buzzard, Red Kite, 3 Kestrel, 3 Sparrowhawk, Little Egret, 4 Shoveler, pr of Great Crested Grebe (Nick Croft/Tim Harris) *Wimbledon Common: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker heard, Nuthatch, lots of Chiffchaff in song, Kestrel. (Mark H) *Woodford Green: 6 sightings of Sprawk involving at least 3 birds, and my 2nd Swallow of the Spring heading North over the tree canopy.(Ken Murray) *Woodlands Farm: 2 Swallows on telegraph wires at usual breeding site. (Harry Harrison) Sunday 5th April 2015 * Alexandra Park: Common Buzzard perched in Conservation Area, before being moved on by corvids; as far as I'm aware, the first to be recorded in - as opposed to over - the Park. Also 4 Shoveler, 2 Great Crested Grebe on Wood Green Res. (Gareth Richards). 2 Red Kites viewed overhead from ice-rink car park. 12.20. Soaring and slowly gaining height before heading east. (Greg Smith) * Bedddington SF: Jack Snipe, Brambling over, 4 Wheatears (3m 1f Steve Thomas) & 11 Sand Martins, 2 Swallow (pm count), Red Kite, 5 Green Sandpiper, 8 Buzzard (pm count), (Kevin Guest) *Brent Reservoir: Pheasant heard in reed-bed, 3 Shelduck briefly (2 Shelduck later N Marsh), Little Egret, 17 Snipe, Water Rail, Kingfisher, Sand Martin & 9 singing Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Bunting (Andrew Self, Roy Beddard): Afternoon visit Red Kite drifted SE 1310 (Andrew Verrall). * Claybury Park: Blackcap, Chiffchaff, 2 - 3 Stock Doves, 3 Green Woodpeckers, Jay (Alan Hobson). *Gallions Reach: Red Kite, 6 Common Buzzard (all east), Lapwing, 2 Curlew, 7 Swallow, (Gary A James & Paul Davis). *Hampstead Heath: 12 '''Common Buzzard all drifting slowly over, one pair tumbling and swooping together. First bird high S at 11:10, the second noticeably missing primaries, very low NW from 11:50, 3 S & SW from 12:50, two SW from 13:20, 2 from 15:15 then at 15:40, 16:30, last one 16:40, 1 Rook W at 08:15, 4 Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaff, c100 Chaffinch NW, 21 Meadow Pipit NW, 1 Redwing at second Hedge, 2 Kingfisher at Sanctuary Pond (Frank Nugent). Woodcock low over Pryor's Field mid morning (Oliver Simms) *Kew Gardens: 14 Greylag, 6 Egyptian Geese, 10 Gadwall, pr Mandarin, 2 Sparrowhawk, Common Sandpiper on opposite (north by Syon) shore of Thames, 4 Goldcrest, 2 singing Blackcap, 2 singing Chiffchaff (Neil Anderson/K. Bull) *Leyton, Jubilee Park: 3 singing Blackcap (Paul Whiteman) *Pinner Park Farm: '''6 Common Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, Little Owl, Snipe, 56 Meadow Pipit (grounded), 4 Fieldfare, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, Nuthatch, 4 Stock Dove & 73 Jackdaw (Jon Ridge). *Rainham Marshes: 34 Common Buzzard, 11 Marsh Harrier, male Hen Harrier, Raven, pair Garganey, Whimbrel, Ruff, Greenshank, Little Ringed Plover, Bearded Tit (Twitter) *Richmond Park 1 Wheatear m Holly Lodge riding ring (Hugh Bradshaw) 6 Skylark, 9 Meadow Pipit, c 10 Reed Bunting Lawn Field (Steve Woolfenden) Wheatear male - Lawn Field, Stonechat female still, 7 Redwing - Sidmouth Wood, Buzzard perched, Little Grebe - Upper Pen Pond, 18 Grey Heron - 4 nesting pairs (two of which with 4 young each) and 2 imms (J.Wilczur) Redpoll heard (P.B-Smith) Treecreeper, Reed Bunting, Kestrel pair (TWHV) *Staines Moor: 5 Red Kite, 1 Common Buzzard (Twitter) *Ten Acre Wood area: 3 m Pheasant, 2 Buzzard, m Kestrel, 5 Little Ringed Plover (4 together at one point as 5th was in flight some distance away), Green Sandpiper, 12 Snipe, 8 Lapwing, 5 Skylark, 4 Meadow Pipit N, 2 Wheatear (pr), 3 singing Chiffchaff, 2 singing Blackcap, 2 Rook (1 carrying food), 3m Reed Bunting, singing Linnet ,Muntjac (Neil Anderson/G. Westley) *Walthamstow Marshes: Stables, front paddocks 1 Redwing; rear paddocks 1 White Wagtail in with 7 Pied Wagtails, 3 Meadow Pipit, 2 Linnet; Leyton Marsh (NE corner) 1 singing Blackcap. All [tel:0800-0900 0800-0900] (Alastair Dent) Kestrel, Reed Bunting, Little Egret, dozens of Pied Wagtail in paddocks (Josh Loeb) *Walthamstow Reservoirs: Dunlin on East Warwick in North West corner until at least 3.30pm. Also 2 Wheatear, pr. Scaup and 6 Meadow Pipits on Lockwood (Adam Winstanley) *Wanstead Flats: up to 6 Common Buzzard, Peregrine Falcon, 4 + Sparrowhawk, 3 Kestrel, 50 + Meadow Pipit, 6 + Skylark, 3 Swallow, Willow Warbler, 5 singing Chiffchaff, 2 singing Blackcap, 3 Linnet, 2 Wheatear (m&f), 25 + Shoveler, f Pochard, 5 Little Grebe (Wanstead Birders) *Wanstead Park: 2 Red Kite west over old sewage works (Dan Hennessy) * Denham Lock Wood LWT: 11 Chiffchaff, 2 Snipe flushed up, 18 Jackdaw, Pheasant pair plus 2 males, Mandarin pair plus 1 male, 6 Great Crested Grebe, 30 + Tufted Duck, 1 Treecreeper, 1 Sparrowhawk, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Heron 14 Adult 5 Young, 2 Egyptian Goose, 2 Cormorant, 2 Green Woodpecker (Dan Pinkham) Saturday 4th April 2015 *Beddington SF: Curlew, Red Kite, House Martin (BFBG via Twitter) *Brent Reservoir: Little Ringed Plover, 57 Meadow Pipit north & 12 singing Chiffchaff (Andrew Self, Andrew Verrall) *Brookmill Park: At least 3 grey wagtail with one pair mating. Local grey heron eating bread (Fernley Symons). *Gallions Reach: Swallow, Common Tern (KJMcmanus); Jack Snipe, Little Egret. (Gary A James). *Grovelands Park: 2 Firecrest incl singing male, Common Buzzard over SE 12:18 hrs (Robert Callf/Bob Husband) *KGV Reservoir: Avocet on causeway at 0720, 2 Red Kite at 0745 and 0810, Common Snipe, 5 Sand Martin, 3 Meadow Pipit (Martin Shepherd) *London Wetland Centre: Kestrel, 6 Redshank, 5 Wigeon, 1f Pintail, 4 Sand Martin, 1 Swallow, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 14 Common Snipe, 1 Jack Snipe, 1m Peregrine on Ch. X. Hosp. (Martin Honey); Buzzard NW at 15.50 (S. Fogg) singing Willow Warbler (K Peacock, per Angus Innes).; *Margravine Cemetery: pr Green Woodpecker (Nathalie Mahieu). *Olympic Park: Greenway: 3 Little Ringed Plover (JW Davies) *Osterley Park: 2 Chiffchaff singing, Coal Tit, Common Buzzard over NW, 2 Cormorant, 4 Egyptian Goose, 3 Gadwall, 2 Goldcrest, 3 Great Crested Grebe (1 on nest), Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Herring Gull, 52+ Jackdaw, 3 Jay, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Little Grebe, Little Owl, 6 Mandarin, Mistle Thrush, 2 Nuthatch, 2 Pied Wagtail, 9+ Ring-necked Parakeet, 8 Shoveler, 3 Stock Dove, 2 Teal (Richard Woolley). *Pinner Park Farm: adult male Wheatear, 5 Greylag Goose west at 16:53, Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Little Owl, 4 Snipe, 3 Fieldfare, Mistle Thrush, 13 Meadow Pipit north, 3 Stock Dove, 2 Green Woodpecker, drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch & 77 Jackdaw (Jon Ridge). *Queen Mother Reservoir: Hen Harrier yr-1st (BirdGuides) *Regent's Park: Snipe flushed Wetland Pen area 32 early-am -1st on patch since Dec '13, 2 House Martin NW, 2 Chiffchaff and 4-5 Blackcap singing (RPBirders) *Staines Moor: 2 Common Whitethroat yr-1st, 2 Willow Warbler (Twitter) *Staines Reservoirs: Avocet (BirdGuides) *Totteridge Valley: pair Kestrel displaying, 9 Meadow Pipit over, Lapwing, 2 Teal (Ian Ellis) *Twickenham (late report): Red-legged Partridge in private garden (via M. Honey) *Walthamstow: Advance notice for the all day event AWPW3 75 species were recorded in 2014, 81 in 2013. What will this year bring? Be a part of it on Sunday 26th April 2015 (Walthamstow Birders) *Walthamstow Marsh: White Wagtail in with 17 Pied Wagtails, back paddocks. (Blackcap still singing by southern bridge over Dagenham Brook in Jubilee Park) (Paul Whiteman) *Walthamstow Reservoirs: Lockwood - 2 probably 3 Little Ring Plover during day, pair of Scaup, 1 Wheatear, female Goldeneye and Swallow going north (David Bradshaw); male Merlin low over Lockwood c 3-30pm (Matthew Cunningham). *Wanstead Flats: What appeared to be a Hooded Crow being chased off patch by its more familiar cousins. Only when it banked and swerved to avoid the pursuing birds could we makeout grey on belly and underwing and on the back (NC/DH) Ill Manors movie all about Hoodies in Wanstead! ''(J Levy); 50+ Meadow Pipit, 5 Skylark, 7 Redwing, Siskin, Linnet, 2 Reed Bunting, 3 Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk, 12 Shoveler, f Pochard, 4 Little Grebe, 10 + Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, pr of Stock Dove (Nick Croft/Dan Hennessy/Jonathan Lethbridge/Bob Vaughan) *Wanstead Park: Swallow, Meadow Pipit, 16 + Chiffchaff, singing Blackcap,singing Goldcrest, 2 Teal, 10 Gadwall, 6 Shoveler, Little Egret, pr of Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, pr Great Crested Grebe on basin + 1 on Perch, Little Grebe, Coal Tit (Dan Hennessy/Nick Croft) Diver sp (probable '''Great Northern Diver') high over Wanstead Tube station going south (Nick Tanner via text) Friday 3rd April 2015 *Brent Reservoir: Little Ringed Plover, Little Egret behind dam, 17 Snipe, 4 Swallows through & 12 singing Chiffchaff (Andrew Self); afternoon visit Little Egret out of East Marsh, 2 Lapwing flew in, Blackcap singing Dump, Swallow stopped to feed, Willow Warbler seen singing trees by Canoe jetty (CG only) (Andrew Verrall, Chris Goodchild) *Brookmill Park: Little Egret, Kingfisher, Song Thrush, 2 Chiffchaff (Conrad Ellam) *Crossness: Green Sandpiper, Snipe, Lapwing, 2 Redshank, Reed Bunting, Chiffchaff (Conrad Ellam) *Enfield EN2:' Lesser Spotted Woodpecker '(Robert Callf) *Grovelands Park: 2 Firecrest singing behind rangers hunt mid-day (J.Murray). *Hampstead Heath: Common Buzzard very low NW over Parliament Hill at 08:55 in the murk, where also 5 Meadow Pipit feeding, 1 Swallow NW over Highgate 1 Pond at 14:00, 4 Blackcap incl a pair on Parliament Hill, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, 4 Collared Dove (2 pair), Kingfisher at Sanctuary Pond (Frank Nugent). *Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens: Goldeneye f at Fishermans Keep area am, Cetti's Warbler in usual area at 11.20 seen calling from Holly tree (D.Jordan) *London Wetland Centre: singing Willow Warbler, 1 Jack Snipe grazing marsh (Martin Honey); 2 Red-crested Pochard pair, 1f Pheasant, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 6 Redshank, Swallow briefly, 6 singing Cetti's Warbler (L. Smith, J. Wilczur, S. Fogg, M. Honey); second Jack Snipe located on wader scrape, 2-3 Swallow N (Martin Honey) *Lonsdale Road Reservoir LNR: 2 Egyptian Goose, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 6+ Grey Heron at nests with 5+ young, 2 Grey Wagtail, 3+ Jackdaw, Lesser Black-backed Gull, 5 Pochard, 4+ Ring-necked Parakeet, Shoveler, 22 Teal (Richard Woolley). * Mayflower Park: Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, Water Rail (Bob Smith) * Olympic Park: Greenway- 3 Little Ringed Plover (JW Davies) * Pinner Park Farm: 2 Common Buzzard, 3 Fieldfare, 3 Stock Dove, 2 Green Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Jay & 71 Jackdaw (Jon Ridge). *Rainham Marshes: pair of Garganey, 4 Common Scoter 2pr on river (Twitter); also Wheatear, two Water Pipits, Raven (Sean Huggins) *Regent's Park: House Martin over lake (per RPBirders) *Richmond Park: c15 (2PCS 2UPP 11LF) Reed Bunting, 12 Skylark, 2 Meadow Pipit, 1f Stonechat f Kestrel all Lawn Field (Steve Woolfenden) *Roding Valley Park at Redbridge: Little Egret, Song Thrush, 2 Chiffchaff (Malcolm Hibberd) *Russia Dock Woodland/Stave Hill: Blackcap still singing by road, 2 Chiffchaff, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chaffinch (John Cadera) *Southwark Park: 1 Stock Dove at calling at boating lake then flew into Ada Salter Rose Garden (John Cadera) *Staines Reservoir: 4 Black-necked Grebe, 2 Egyptian Geese, Great Northern Diver, White Wagtail. (Jim Sweetland) *Tooting Commons: 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, 36 Tufted Duck, 2 Egyptian Goose with one surviving gosling, 18 Stock Dove (Nick Rutter) *Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake: 11 singing Chiffchaff, 8 Teal, 2 Cormorant over separately, 2 Lapwing (John Colmans) *Trent Park: 4 singing Chiffchaff, c15 Goldfinch, Mandarin, Nuthatch. (Pete Lowman). *Walthamstow Marshes: one singing Blackcap on Leyton Marsh (east perimeter hedge) at 1615 (Alastair Dent); rear paddocks- 2 Wheatear, 4 Meadow Pipit, 8 Linnet, Little Egret, 30+ Pied Wagtail, White Wagtail, Kestrel (JW Davies) *Walthamstow Reservoirs: pr Scaup and pr Wheatear on Lockwood (Adam Winstanley); Buzzard and drake Goosander N, Peregrine (Paul Whiteman & David Bradshaw). *Walthamstow: Advance notice for the all day event AWPW3 75 species were recorded in 2014, 81 in 2013. What will this year bring? Be a part of it on Sunday 26th April 2015 (Walthamstow Birders) *Wanstead Flats: Shelduck, 2 Egyptian Goose, 6 Shoveler, Gadwall, 3 Little Grebe, f Wheatear, 2 Swallow, Common Snipe, 2 Kestrel, 4 Sparrowhawk, 10 Meadow Pipit, 6 Skylark, 2 Reed Bunting, 10 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, Fieldfare (Wanstead Birders) *Wanstead Park: 62 Shoveler (park record), 9 Teal, 13 Gadwall, 2 Egyptian Goose, Great Crested Grebe, 2 Little Grebe, Little Egret, 4 singing Blackcap, 10+ Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, singing Coal Tit, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk (Tim Harris/Nick Croft) Thursday 2nd April 2015 *Beddington SF: Osprey (flew west 10:06), 6 Wheatear (5 male, 1 female), Garganey, Little Ringed Plover, Green Sandpiper, 2 Redshank, Buzzard, Peregrine (BFBG via Twitter) *Brookmill Park: 2 Stock Dove, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam) *Ewell Village: 1 singing Chiffchaff, 1 Kingfisher, 4 Grey Wagtail, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Nuthatch, 6 Herring Gull incl. 2 adults on Bourne Hall lake (Neil Batten). *Grovelands Park: 4 Great Crested Grebe pr with two chicks, 4 Shoveler 2m 2f, 21 Common Gull incl at least 11 1st-summer, 2+ Firecrest incl at least one poss two singing males (between NE corner of lake and Seaforth Grdns side entrance), 3+ singing Chiffchaff, singing male Blackcap (Robert Callf) *Leyton Flats: Egyptian Goose with young at Hollow Ponds (Bob Vaughan) *London Wetland Centre: Swallow, Sand Martin, 3 House Martin yr-1st (website) Also 9''' Common Buzzards over in various directions (Oscar Dewhurst, Rupert Kaye, Martin Honey). Plus 6 Redshank, 1m 1f Red Crested Pochard, 6 Meadow Pipit NNW, 1m 1f Mandarin, 5 singing Chiffchaff (MH) *Minet CP: m Peregrine overhead; 1 Kingfisher, 2 Little Egret, 3 Teal, 1 Little Owl, 5 singing Skylark, 7 singing Chiffchaff, Bullfinch, 30+ Linnet, 6 Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecher, 2 Green Woodpecker (Dave Bookless) *Pinner Park Farm: 2 Little Owl, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 4 Snipe, 2 Fieldfare, 2 Mistle Thrush, 5 Song Thrush, Meadow Pipit, 3 Green Woodpecker, drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker & 51 Jackdaw (Jon Ridge). *Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: only 2 Gadwall pr left, 15 Shoveler, Black-headed Gull, Swallow high W 1800, 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Blackcap (RPBirders) *Richmond Park: 2 '''Firecrests singing - one E side of Pen Pond Plantation the second in a private area (S.Read & M.Lewis per JW); Little Egret roosting Upper Pen Pond island, Stonechat female still (J.Wilczur) *Roding Valley Park at Redbridge: pr Teal, 2 Little Egret, Song Thrush, Chiffchaff (Malcolm Hibberd) * Roding Valley Park and Redbridge Lakes, Woodford Bridge: Kingfisher, Kestrel, 4 Chiffchaffs, Grey Heron, Sparrowhawk, Jay, 3 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Pied Wagtails (Alan Hobson). *St James's Park: drake Ruddy Duck, singing Chiffchaff & Pied Wagtail over (Andrew Self) *Trent Park: Common Buzzard, 8 singing Chiffchaff, 4 Mandarin. ( Pete Lowman). *Walthamstow Marshes: rear paddocks- Wheatear (JW Davies) *Walthamstow Reservoirs: Lingering Redshank in North-west corner of East Warwick, Pair of Scaup and 5 Goldeneye still on Lockwood (Mike Messenger per Paul Whiteman) *Wanstead Flats: 80+ Meadow Pipit through (& 3 singing birds), Skylark, 1-2 Swallow, 2-3 Reed Bunting, Peregrine Falcon, 2 Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 8 Shoveler, 3 Little Grebe, 5 Chiffchaff, singing Blackcap (Nick Croft/Tim Harris/Bob Vaughan) 25 Meadow Pipit (Bob Vaughan) *Wanstead Park: Coal Tit, Goldcrest and Chiffchaff singing in St Mary's churchyard (Dan Hennessy), 11 Chiffchaff in park, 10 Meadow Pipit over, 2 Teal, 6 Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Sparrowhawk, singing Stock Dove, 4 Redwing (Nick Croft) *Westminster Abbey: Peregrine on the West Front at 14:00 (Frank Nugent). Wednesday 1st April 2015 *Alexandra Park: Common Buzzard low and mobbed by crows near Boating Lake 1030, also Linnet, Meadow Pipit, 2 Chiffchaff, Blackcap, pair Shoveler Wood Green Res, but no sign of recent Pochard hybrid (Dominic Mitchell, Bob Watts, Henry Wyn-Jones) *Beddington SF: 5 Mediterranean Gull (all adults), 3 Water Pipit, Jack Snipe (BFBG via Twitter) *Buckingham Palace: 2 Swallows over Victoria Memorial 18.22 (Will Rose) *Brent Reservoir: Little Ringed Plover on mud 12.35 to 13.10 when flew off N calling, Green Sandpiper and 3 Snipe Heron Hide, Water Rail feeding in open on Island, Chiffchaff (Andrew Verrall) *Chelsea Bridge Wharf: pr Grey Wagtail (Neil Anderson) *Chingford: 1pr Kestrel, Green Woodpecker on the Plain, 1pr Teal, 1pr Mandarin, 4 Greylag, pr Lesser Black Back Gull and f Smew escape on Connaught Water, 6 Chiffchaff but only a couple in full song, 3-4 Blackcap, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Common Buzzard soaring over Fairmead carrying Brown Rat. 1 Small Tortoiseshell (John Cadera) *Chingford: Station Road at 4.20pm, Red Kite flying low over "the shops" in a Westerly direction (Ken Murray). *Cornmill Meadows: 2 male Shelduck, 7 Gadwall, 7 Shoveler, 10 Teal, 4 Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, 4 Lapwing, 2 Kingfisher, 25+ Meadow Pipit (flying north in 2 flocks), 4 Grey Wagtail (2 pairs), 40+ Goldfinch (Simon Papps) * Ealing Hospital: Peregrine chasing pigeon very close to main building c11am (f.mck) *Footscray Meadows: 2 Water Rail, 35+ Jackdaw, 40+ Carrion Crow (Andy Meaton) *Hale End: IG8- Chiffchaff singing in Alders Avenue at 07.27 (Chris Wright) *Hyde Park: f Goldeneye, m Scaup near Serpentine cafe (seems to have a problem with one eye) associating with a f Tufted, ad and 1st-year Black-headed Gulls, pr Mandarin (Joe Beale and Yu-Hsuan Lin) *Kensington Gardens: 2 Treecreeper, 2 Goldcrests, Cetti's Warbler singing occasionally, 2 Shoveler (Joe Beale and Yu-Hsuan Lin) *Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: singing Firecrest, singing Blackcap, 2 Treecreeper, Rook S, 6 Meadow Pipit N, Coal Tit, 2 Common Buzzard SW early afternoon, 2 singing Chiffchaff, pr Sparrowhawk over (Stuart Fisher) *Leyton, Jubilee Park: singing Blackcap by southern bridge over Dagenham Brook. (Paul Whiteman) *Lonsdale Road Reservoir: 1 fledgling Tawny Owl, 1 Great Crested Grebe (& 1 on Thames), 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker (Rich Petley) *Lower Chingford: off Russell Lane- Peregrine, Green Sandpiper (James Palmer) *Pinner Park Farm: Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Snipe, 3 Fieldfare, 2 Mistle Thrush, 4 Meadow Pipit, Green Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Long-tailed Tit & 91 Jackdaw (Jon Ridge). *Rainham Marshes: Red Kite very low south over carpark at 1340, Greenshank on pools (Twitter) *Richmond Park: Firecrest (M.Lewis) *Roding Valley Park at Redbridge: pr Teal, Cormorant flying down river, 2 Little Egret, Song Thrush, Chiffchaff, 2 Long-tailed Tit (Malcolm Hibberd) *Rye Meads: Marsh Harrier male north at 10.15am (Alan Reynolds -Herts website) *Sutcliffe Park: Little Egret, Cormorant, Common Snipe, Stock Dove (Conrad Ellam) * Waddon Ponds (Croydon): 1 Swallow, 3 Chiffchaffs. (Bird Arrivals at Waddon Ponds) *Walthamstow Marsh: 2 Redwing by riding stables front paddocks, singing Cetti's Warbler in newly fenced off area to north of refurbished boardwalk, female Peregrine hunting c.80 Carrion Crows on North Marsh, singing Blackcap by pylon in Coppermill Lane on North Marsh. (Paul Whiteman) *Wanstead Flats: Swallow, Rook, 4 Chiffchaff, 6 Skylark, 16 Meadow Pipit 13 north & 3 singing birds, 2 Grey Wagtail, 2 Pied Wagtail, 2m Reed Bunting, 4 Redwing, 9 Shoveler, 2 Pochard, 6 Little Grebe (Nick Croft/Tim Harris) *Wanstead Park: 4 Fieldfare north, singing Blackcap, 11 Chiffchaff, pr of Great Crested Grebe back on Shoulder of Mutton (Dan Hennessy); pr of Nuthatch in the Dell (Tony Brown) *Whitings Hill/Arkley Fields South: Red Kite over am, 2 Chiffchaff singing, 2 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk hunting this eve, 2 Long-tailed Tits, Great Spotted Woodpecker and 3 Mallard in flooded pool -1st I've seen for this sit e(David Martens) *Woodford Green: Treecreeper, Tawny Owl flying into 'roost' conifer with Magpie on its tail, Grey Wagtail, displaying Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, 2 Little Egret flyovers, also Swallow at 5.20pm -my earliest (Ken Murray). 'Archived News' LONDON BIRDING NEWS FROM ALMOST EVERY PREVIOUS MONTH SINCE JULY 2002 {C}